“How did you write a book together?” A question often asked of authors who decide to collaborate on writing a story. The underlying truth of what they are really asking is, “How did you manage to not end up hating each other during the process?” The answer to this is simple, it’s not about the ego; it’s about the book. We decided this first.

Jess & Stephanie signing contracts with Delacorte Press

When we sat down to write The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow, we committed to this
concept and made a pact with each other that we would set our feelings to the
side in order to produce the best story that we could. After we agreed to this,
the words flowed easily and the story began to take shape. As it moved along,
the writing came naturally. It shifted, bent, dissolved, exploded, and then
mushroomed into something spectacular.

Why did you decide to co-author this work?

Stephanie and Jess circa 1999

Jess: I have always enjoyed talking about books with Stephanie.
We have been friends for a long time, so when I wanted to turn my children’s
poem into a middle grade book, it seemed natural to ask her if she wanted to
write it with me.

Stephanie:
I have always loved writing and have
written many short stories and poems. When
Jess asked me to co-author a book with her, I decided it was the perfect chance
to begin working on one of my dreams.

Stephanie and Jess presenting at Flanders Elementary School in Southington, CT

One amazing
realization about co-author collaboration is that you have a whole other brain
working towards the same goal. Both of us have our strengths and weaknesses.
What one lacks, the other makes up for. Sometimes, one of us would be working
on a chapter and have a vision of what it should be, but just not getting it
out right. The other would read it and see it in a different light, change the
words, and restructure the sentence or chapter. In a way, this was very
satisfying, like fitting the right piece into a puzzle.

Stephanie reading an excerpt of The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow to students

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing your book?

Jessica:I learned a lot about myself and about discipline in writing. I am sort of a free-form writer, and it's absolutely essential to keep everything in tune and orderly to progress. Stephanie is the master of organization, so I am very lucky to have her as my co-author. Most of the time, instructions and lists sound to me like the adults in Charlie Brown, whoh, whoh, whoh. However, after working on this with my awesome writing partner, I embrace the list. : )

Stephanie: I have been surprised by the amount of time Jessica and I spend discussing Fairday and her friends and coming up with ideas. Most of our conversations now center around our writing and blog. I never knew how much fun it would be to write a book with someone else who shares my same vision and makes work fun. Also, I have been pleasantly surprised to find support for my book in places I never expected. Thanks to all of our supporters.

There were times when we threw away whole chapters and started over. This was somewhat painful, but we both knew it had to be done and accepted it. We wanted it to be right; we wanted it to be what we knew in our hearts it could be. And so, swallowing our pride became a common occurrence, which was easier and easier to digest as the story progressed. Now when we receive criticism from ourselves or other readers, we both embrace it and think of it as an opportunity to improve our story.

Our writing process wouldn’t have been as smooth without Google Docs.
Using this online format allowed us to post a chapter or two at a time that we
could work on together. What an amazing tool! Being able to make changes to our book from
any location opened up our world of writing and our story was written in
Poland, Yellowstone, from our town libraries, and the comforts of our own
homes. We entered contests, kept up with local writers' conferences, and attended book fairs, keeping an eye on the latest book buzz and honing our craft. We've met some amazing authors and illustrators, and made great connections with the people all over the world.

Jessica:For as
long as I can remember, I have always loved stories. I have a certain taste for rhyme, and I enjoy word play. After recovering from the devastation that I was
probably not going to be an astronaut (terrible at math), it felt natural to want to pursue writing. I also love to draw, and my inspiration comes from illustrators like Edward Gorey and Barbara McClintock.

Little Stephanie

Stephanie:Since I was a little girl, I have loved
reading and creating stories.When
I was younger, I thought I would be a teacher during the year and spend the
summer writing books (yes, that is plural).I obviously didn’t understand how much time teaching and
writing would actually take. Ever since Jess asked me to co-author The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow, I have been actively pursuing my dreams of being a writer.

Is
co-authoring for everyone? Probably not, but for those who do embark on this
wondrous journey, remember to set a common goal, work with someone you can be
honest with, and keep your eye on the prize- a well-written book!

Enter the book giveaway for your chance to win a first edition signed hardcover copy of The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow.

WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED APRIL 15th!

We appreciate everyone who helps to spread the news. :)

"I loved the opening chapters of The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow, and was immediately captivated by the characters. The writing is great and very accessible. I'm sure children and young adults will love it." Jenny Nimmo, Author of Midnight for Charlie Bone

So much greatness in this post from the beautiful cover to your interview responses :) For some reason I thought it was coming out 2014, not 2015. I think the mixup was wishful thinking! Never the less, early congrats!!

You two are awesome together - it was a match made in heaven! I'd love to work with another writer, but I'm afraid we'd end up disagreeing. You're lucky you obviously chose each other well. Your cover is incredible, and I'm so happy for you!!!! :)

Hi Beverly, It's been a blast! It was interesting to put this post together, as we've been on quite a journey, and summing it up was fascinating! Thanks for stopping by. It's always a pleasure to hear from you. :) ~ Jess & Stephanie

It has been such a fulfilling journey for you two, and for us ~ your blog followers and readers. The new cover is exciting, the colours and fonts just pop up beautifully. I'll stay out of this giveaway so more will have a chance to win and read it, and buy a few e-copies when the book is released!

Hi Claudine, Thank you! Your critique of the story was key in helping us to craft the book into what it is now. We really appreciate your support, and it's always lovely to hear from you! ~ Jess & Stephanie

I'm so happy for you girls! The cover looks AMAZING!!! :DAll your hard work is going to pay off! I'm so happy that even if you had to throw away whole chapters you didn't hate each other at the end of this and that you had a lot of fun. You have a passion and love for writing with each other and that's what matters. Your pictures as little girls are adorable by the way.

Hi Adriana, Thank you so much! We are very happy with the cover. It's been quite an adventure, and even better that we get to chat with lovely people, such as yourself. Thank you for all of your support- we really appreciate it, and it's always a pleasure to hear from you! ~ Jess & Stephanie

Congratulations on your cover release! And I am always amazed when I hear about how people co-author books. I suppose it's a little like making revisions with an editor, but even then, I'm still doing all the writing. It's hard for me to imagine giving that over to someone else ... (although I have sometimes thought it would be fun to co-write something with my daughters.)

Hi Dianne, Thank you! It's exciting writing with someone else, but it has to be someone you can be open and honest with- and argue with without having it be a big deal! Good luck with your writing! ~ Jess & Stephanie

Congratulations to both of you! I am excited for you two. What a fun and interesting journey. I enjoying hearing about how it works for you. It can be a challenge collaborating on a big project (sort of like sharing an apartment with someone - you want to still like them when it is over!). A friend and I have been working on an historical novel and are thinking along the same lines. It's a fun adventure. Wishing you both all the best!

Hi Karen- Thanks so much for your comment How wonderful to hear you are working on a HF novel with a friend. It works well if you both think along the same lines! Wishing you and your friend the best and happy writing together. :) ~Stephanie and Jess

Molly- Thanks for stopping by. Glad you like the cover! Lol- definitely a good thing that the joint writing went well. Two brains is SO helpful! We love that you also think writing is like a puzzle. We have a ton of fun writing together. :_ ~Stephanie and Jess

Thank you for stopping by and commenting. We love to hear your thoughts! Fairday's Blog is no longer accepting awards. We appreciate all the nominations that we have received and are honored to have been mentioned! Happy Reading!